Walking Dead

Today’s Verse:

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: ~John 11:25

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The entertainment industry has mesmerized America with the concept of dead people coming back to life as zombies that terrorize communities. It is an accepted fact that once all life activity in a person ceases, that person is dead. When there is a death, it is accepted that the deceased is gone from this life. When Lazarus died from his illness, Martha and Mary were resigned to the fact that he would not return to life. They held a service for him and buried him in a cave. They knew that Jesus had the power to heal, but they did not consider His power being able to raise Lazarus back to life. Jesus gave this special family a prelude to the doctrine and demonstration of the power of the resurrection.

We see the fate.

Lazarus had died. Life as we know it is over when death occurs. Death brings us to the vivid reality of our mortality and that we must face God, our Creator. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Death is inevitable. We do not know when, but it is an inescapable fact. When we die, the most important questions we should have addressed are, “Where will I spend eternity? Will I go to Heaven or Hell?” The prophet Amos said, “Prepare to meet thy God.” God will either be our Saviour, or He will be our Judge. At death, it is too late to address the question of where we will go. The fact that we know death is coming should compel us to address this now, and not later.

We see the fact.

Jesus announced publicly the fact and the doctrine of the resurrection. Jesus spoke about His resurrection. When He said, “I am the resurrection and the life,” He was declaring His power and authority as God. He made it very clear that He has complete power over death. The devil has the power of death (Hebrews 2:14), but Jesus is the Source of life. In declaring that He is the resurrection and the life, He has the power to break the hold that death has over a body, and to give it life. First, He was giving hope to Martha and Mary for Lazarus. Jesus went to Bethany to raise Lazarus back to life. There was no corruption in Lazarus when Jesus raised him up. His life and breath resumed as if he had never died. Second, Jesus was giving a glimpse of what would happen on resurrection morning when He would rise from the dead. Jesus would rise from the dead with a glorified, perfect, immortal body, and declare death a defeated foe.

We see the faith.

We must have faith in the death and resurrection of Christ for salvation. Jesus declared two wonderful promises. The first is: “He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” The second is: “Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” Death is a transition for a believer in Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ’s death and resurrection for our salvation means that we are passed from death to life. Paul makes very clear the importance of faith in the resurrected Christ when he said, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). Faith in the resurrection is essential for our salvation. Jesus closed the Gospel of John by asking, “Believest thou this?” Do you believe? Will you believe?

The doctrine of the resurrection is the centerpiece of the gospel. Without this miraculous occurrence, our faith is in vain. Rejoice this morning that faith in Christ means that you “shall never die” in the sense that you have everlasting life and the hope of the glorification of your body.

Have a risen God Morning!

Bible Reading Schedule: 1 Kings 18-20

#John #Lazaruz #Faith #Resurrection #Jesus